Alice Undercover
by Rurple101
Summary: Alice returns a determined and wise 31-year-old woman undercover as the Red Queen has once again gained the crown but she has the Hatter in Stayne's old place! She sets to rescue him but only till the end will she reveal herself as their champion..
1. Jesse Wayton

**Prologue **

_"Join me Tarrant Hightopp and get the loyalty you do deserve. The madness you suffer from, I shall ease you and help you with it. I understand you are in pain though it won't go UN-noticed." Cooed Iracebeth, The Red Queen sitting aside her throne. She smiled sweetly and looked at the Hatter before her. His eyes were crazed and hungry for sanity with had evaded him since his dearest left Underland. In this out of mind frame he answered with a "Yes, my Queen" and bowed at her feet. Iracebeth smiled, nothing could ruin her plan._

**Chapter One: Jesse Wayton**

Alice Kingsleigh smiled to herself as she spotted the familiar rabbit hole in the meadow as she raced towards it as fast as she could. She knew that Iracebeth was ruling her Underland again and she, as Champion for the White Queen needed to make everything right again. She'd missed it loads she thought as she threw her bag down before following it down. She'd missed her friends and hadn't forgotten anyone or anything.

She had grown up well and in the twelve years since she was last there, Alice had changed for the best. Her attitude was bolder and more confident. She was still the same Alice but she had grown up – managing her late father's trading company for several years and setting her plans in action when the time arrived for her to return. She was an amazing young woman as she'd grown up and her family had been proud of her for her achievements. Her mother after several failed attempts had tried to make Alice be married off but the expression '_married to the job'_ sprung to thought when Alice would give her mother a glare that her father would give her.

Alice had changed, times had changed quite magnificently and she had thought of a plan. She was going back to her world, the one she belonged in but with a twist, she was going in undercover. She would pose as a newcomer into the village Whitened and blend into the place as if she was born an Underlandian. Then she would phrase her plan out and rescue her hatter from the evil Red Queen that he didn't deserve to be.

Oh thing that would certainly not let anybody understand who she really was Alice had changed nearly everything about her. She changed her name, her age (she didn't really need to) and her hair. Her hair was now a dark red/purple colour and it was shorter and layered. She wore make-up and she smeared foundation over her Bandersnatch scratches on her right arm, even if she was wearing a top which covered it (just in case).

When she crashed as usual at the bottom of the rabbit hole the hall of doors greeted her again. She smiled again at both memories at this room. Twenty five years ago, when she only six years old and twelve years ago as a frantic young maiden running away from Hamish.

She put her bag on her back and took a crumb of cake as well just in case. Grabbing the pissolver and the key, she walked towards the door, downing the drink in one. She shrank as she walked and only just made it to the door. She opened the door and beamed when she saw the same familiar scene again. She walked through the doorway, down the steps and went behind them. She ate a bit of cake and she shot up to her normal height. She got changed quickly into her jeans and white jumper top with her sandals before carrying on with her journey. She hated the stupid frilly dresses she was forced to wear and adored trousers. They were handier than dresses.

She followed what she thought was the way to Whitened and it wasn't far along the path that she started spotting familiar faces on the flowers and the people around her. She decided to play caution to the winds and ask someone.

She walked hesitantly overt to a kind looking woman who had one blue eye and one green one. Alice shuffled her feet and looked down as she walked. She was a good actress when she put her mind to it. She approached the blonde hair woman and coughed nervously. "Excuse me?"

The woman whirled around and smiled when she saw the woman behind her. "Hello dear. What can I do for you?" she asked kindly. Alice was pleasantly surprised that this woman was so kind to a newcomer. "Um, I'm new and I was wondering if you knew if there were any… accommodation around?" she asked timidly.

The woman nodded and pulled Alice softly with her and guided her down a lane. "Yes my dear. Me name's Glade and I look after everyone here. There is a charming little cottage that I've set aside for someone. The right someone and I think that might be you my dear. Just down this lane and across the path, surrounded by some small trees, there is a nice little home that you can have free of charge."

Alice smiled. "I thank you for being so welcoming. My being doesn't deserve it." She said. Glades shock her head. "Nonsense child. You are to be fine. May I ask you some details, you know just in case Lord Hightopp were to come round and check newcomers to Underland."

"Why would he do that?" Alice asked confused. Ok the Hatter was under the Queen's spell but why would he need to check newcomers?

Glade carried on. "Aye, well word was about from Absolem who carries and holds the Oraculum, says it predicts that Champion Alice shall return sneakily back into her Underland and they want to execute her as soon as possible. To rid the threat. I feel sorry for that girl, she slain the Jabberwocky and now that Bloody Big Head has gone and taken our Queen!"

She was about to thank Glade for being so kind but realised that it would blow her cover if she did so. She was going to stick to it for best as she could. They carried on walking and talking, making good friends in the process until Glade cleared her throat and pointed out the cottage that was at the end of a small lane which sat on it's own and (like she said) surrounded by small trees.

"It's wonderful!" she exclaimed as she took in it's appearance. Glade smiled at her. "Those details, me job to catch an eye out for people coming and going…me head be on a platter if I don't do it." She said. Alice nodded.

"My name's Jesse Wayton. Thirty-one years old…" she said. Glade looked up, shocked. "Yer not 31 are yer? Yer look a lot younger than that my dear!" she said. Then she composed herself. "I am sorry!" she tusked herself and Alice chuckled. "Don't worry about it." She said. Things seemed to be going down well so far.


	2. Lord Hightopp

**_By the way, Alice in the story as introduced in the first paragraph will be labelled as 'Jesse' to make it easier. So basically JESSE = ALICE_**

**_AND I KNOW THAT PHONES AND ELECTRONICS WERENT IN THAT TIME BUT THIS HAS A MODERN TWIST TO THE STORY.  
_**

* * *

**Chapter Two: Lord Hightopp  
**

Jesse was fine when she started living in Whitened - it was a weirdly quiet village for the main settlement of Underland and Jesse made her first week a quiet one. She felt herself missing her old friends which were ironic as she was home - back in her world. She would wake up every morning, freely and confident - making more key personality edits for the villagers to see and they varied as away from 'Alice' as possible. She now decided to call herself Jesse so that is how she would address herself.

Eight days after her arrival, Jesse woke up to a lot of horse hooves around the village, which was quite loud as she lived on the outskirts to the main village area. She could only guess what was happening: Lord Hightopp had decided to ask for payment. Jesse wasn't out of work though, two days after Glade had given her the house, she had offered a job at her art shop. Jesse liked the job, customers would come in and ask for portraits and in an hour of sitting in front of them with a paintbrush and card, Jesse would sell them the self portrait they wanted. She was a favourite in the village and had a key idea for detail; making her a familiar 'popular' face in the village.

She dressed herself properly, but this morning she had a plan. It was a good but sneaky plan. She must make sure she had the right amount of volume from her radio and that her plan went well. She dressed into her tight blue jeans and a red long sleeved but tight top. She washed her hair with a strawberry flavoured shampoo and sprayed herself with a cinnamon scented spray. She knew what she were to do. She had to show a lot of attention.

She dialled Glade to let her know she would be in later than usual and then she set off. She walked across the path towards the centre of the village. She sneaked behind a bush as she saw him; her hatter, but wearing the Red Queen's colours and aside a horse. He had a wild crazy look in his eyes and his lovely red hair had been hidden from view as he wore a horrific dark black beret. His familiar top hat was nowhere to be seen.

"Oh Hatter" she sighed to herself, was it her fault for leaving? But she decided to carry onto her plan. She strode out towards him and the guards around him. He was shouting orders to the villagers in his wild and crazy Scottish accented voice. She was behind him and cleared her throat. When he turned, she made a point of fluttering her eyes but not too much.

"Are yer neww to the vilarge?" he demanded, fire dancing in his eyes - an image that would haunt her. All the villagers watched her with bated breath.

"Would you be Mr Hightopp?" she asked in a timid voice. He grunted "_Lord _Hightopp, that's me." He emphasised on the Lord. She rolled her eyes.

"Yes, I'm new." she answered. There was a slight pause.

"Have yer any money?" he grunted, he could see down her top from her and noticing this, she stepped back slightly and nodded.

Disappointed in the lack of cleavage he could now see, he held his hand out.

But Jesse put on an innocently interested look and cocked her head sideways. "Where do I know that name...?" she asked herself, looking out of the corner of her eye. She put on her thinking expression and counted on her fingers and murmured words that no one could hear. She had managed to learn more of the Hightopps.

"You mean..." she said, looking back up at him who had an uneasy look on his face. "...You meant _the _Hightopps, who all sadly passed away several years ago?" she looked up at him and saw a part of the _true _Hatter of himself. She understood it at once - he'd been driven to madness in her absence. She had to hide her sad smile.

"Have yer gott yer money?" he half screamed at her, making her jump. She glowered in response and flounced off, throwing the money in his angered face. She then ran from the scene towards the field behind her house. She ran until she couldn't hear '_Lord Hightopp's_ voice yelling curses back after her and she could see the tea table. She would explore it another time and she needed to calm down.

_Where has the Hatter I love gone?_ She screamed in her head. _Is it all your fault that he went coo-coo? Why didn't you stay you stupid girl? _Underland wouldn't be in the realm of chaos with the Red Queen if she'd remained put. She felt some tears fall down her cheeks but she wiped them away quickly.

She turned her radio on and put her CD in. She waited for the music to start and then she danced in time to the music as it played. People might of thought she was _Futterwacking _but she just dancing. She was listening to Katy Perry's Californian Gurls. She sang delightfully along.

_I know a place_  
_Where the grass is really greener_  
_Warm, wet and wild_  
_There must be something in the water_  
_Sippin' gin and juice_  
_Laying underneath the palm trees_  
_The boys_  
_Break their necks_  
_Try'na to creep a little sneak peek_  
_(at us)_

_You could travel the world_  
_But nothing comes close_  
_to the golden coast_  
_Once you party with us_  
_You'll be falling in love_  
_Oooooh Oh Oooooh_

_California girls_  
_We're unforgettable_  
_Daisy Dukes_  
_Bikinis on top_  
_Sun-kissed skin_  
_So hot_  
_We'll melt your popsicle_  
_Oooooh Oh Oooooh_

_California girls_  
_We're undeniable_  
_Fine, fresh, fierce_  
_We got it on lock_  
_West coast represent_  
_Now put your hands up_  
_Oooooh Oh Oooooh_

_Sex on the beach_  
_We don't mind sand in our stiletos_  
_We freak_  
_In my jeep_  
_Snoop doggy dog on the stereo_

_You could travel the world_  
_But nothing comes close_  
_to the golden coast_  
_Once you party with us_  
_You'll be falling in love_  
_Oooooh Oh Oooooh_

_California girls_  
_We're unforgettable_  
_Daisy Dukes_  
_Bikinis on top_  
_Sun-kissed skin_  
_So hot_  
_will melt your popsicle_  
_Oooooh Oh Oooooh_

_California girls_  
_We're undeniable_  
_Fine, fresh, fierce_  
_We got it on lock_  
_West coast represent_  
_Now put your hands up_  
_Oooooh Oh Oooooh_

_Tone Tan_  
_Fit and ready_  
_Turn it up cause its gettin' heavy_  
_Wild wild west coast_  
_These are the girls I love the most_  
_I mean the ones_  
_I mean like shes the one_  
_Kiss her_  
_Touch her_  
_Squeeze her buns_

_The girls a freak_  
_She drives a jeep_  
_In Laguna beach_  
_I'm okay_  
_I wont play_  
_I love the bay_  
_Just like I love LA_  
_Venice beach_  
_and Palm Springs_  
_Summer time is everything_

_Homeboys_  
_Hanging out_  
_All that a-s_  
_hanging out_  
_Bikinis, tankinis, martinis_  
_No weenies_  
_Just the king and the queeny_  
_Katy my lady_  
_(yeah)_  
_You looking here baby_  
_(uh huh)_  
_Im all up on you_  
_Cause you representing California_  
_(ohhh yeahh)_

_California girls_  
_We're unforgettable_  
_Daisy Dukes_  
_Bikinis on top_  
_Sun-kissed skin_  
_So hot_  
_will melt your popsicle_  
_Oooooh Oh Oooooh_

_California girls_  
_We're undeniable_  
_Fine, fresh, fierce_  
_We got it on lock_  
_West coast represent_  
_(West coast, west coast)_  
_Now put your hands up_  
_Oooooh Oh Oooooh_

_California girls man_  
_I wish they all could be_  
_California girls_  
_(Californiaaa)_  
_I really wish_  
_You all could be_  
_California girls_

She twirled as she sang happily and felt herself calming down. Her being concentrated on letting all her emotion out. She didn't reveal it by screaming instead she just waggled her hips and had a spring in her steps.

Unknown to her, a certain Lord watched her as she danced gobsmacked. He'd never seen anyone who could muster dancing like he could. He felt an urge of competition come upon him and stalked away: pissed off. Glade and the other villagers watched her as well and clappped when she finished.

Jesse chuckled and dramatically bowed and packed her radio up and walked back inside. Today was turning out just the way she planned.

* * *

**Please review! This might be taking longer but as you guys know, my other story which im writting with my mate is on a slight hold as I begin this this story. this will be longer chapters by far (round this length) and I'm being careful. :) hehe **


	3. Her Royal Big Head

Remember Jesse = Alice! (Disclaimer: I own the plot only, not the actual thing *sniff sniff*)

* * *

**Chapter Three: Her Royal Big Head**

Newly appointed, Iracebeth of Crims the once again powerful and commanding Red Queen was a very happy monarch. Not only did she have her lovely but slightly ruined castle on the shore of the Crimson Sea back, but she also had her old life back. She may not have Stayne (she tried not to think about his past with her) but with her new Lord Hightopp, things would be changing very soon.

She admired the former 'Mad Hatter' and often spoke with him as if he were a dear friend. Unlike Stayne, she was even more convinced that he would never betray her. His precious little Alice had left him and he felt nothing but anger at the thought of her now - she knew him so well, but not as his past self.

She woke as normal on the second day of the fourth week of her regaining her throne and busied herself with her servants. She had learned that animals were only good for furniture and helping her was useless - so she had hired some admirers of her (female of course) and they helped her. She wore a dress similar to the one she used to wear - only this one had a lower cleavage area, resting upon her collarbone and her dress was shorter, revealing the black heels she wore underneath with her stockings and corset.

She strode down her corridor from her chambers and saw all the animals holding the furniture up (as they should be, she thought bitterly) and sighed happily. She seemed in a good mood today and nobody wanted to burst her bubble. Iracebeth was no fool to how her new courtiers felt: she knew the whole kingdom hated her and that they all adored her ugly sister Mirana instead.

The jealously Iracebeth had felt as a young child were resurfacing in her bitter rage and nobody dared rise against her - well one new Underlandian seemed to be causing...trouble, it seemed.

She kept herself from skipping into her throne room after she breakfasted in her room (as she always had since she was a child). Some of her courtiers were sitting on a sofa near the doors and Iracebeth turned to them. She knew they were no fakers this time, fakers wasted time, time was her kingdom and life - and they got beheaded if they angered her. It was a tradition with Iracebeth.

"Your Majesty - Lord Hightopp will be arriving shortly, he said he had an important message for you and I was to pass it along" Bethanna said (or Lady Big Nose - her nose was enormous and wasn't at all fake. (She was also a favorite of her majesty).

"Thank you Bethanna" Iracebeth said, almost too happily for her - she sounded like her bloody sister! She pulled herself together and walked up to her throne. She clicked her fingers at the fishguard "Dwink!" she called and a tray with a glass of Squimberry Juice appeared in front of her. She snatched it and drank it quickly. She passed it back to the guard and he took it, bowing slightly. She sighed and looked at her blood red fingernails and waited. He would be here any minute.

"Majesty?" came the normal and kind voice of Tarrant Hightopp, his eyes a dull dark crimson as he looked at her as he appeared from the side door behind her throne. She smiled brightly at him and patted the seat next to her. He sat and a worried look was on his face. "Hello Tarrant, what have you got for me? Bethanna said something about bad news...?" she asked, and a confused look came on her face.

He chuckled and she put the sound to memory. He had such a horrible laugh and she liked it.

**(A/N: It was only because he's changed his mental state, readers)**

He looked at her and sighed. Then he pulled out the Oraculum, the calendar of Underland. She tensed; last time this had happened, it had predicted the end of her rule - and it had come true...for a while anyway.

"Has she returned?" she hissed in fear and noticed that his eyes flashed the deep green they used to be for a brief second, then he controlled himself. "No" he said. "She hasn't but another female has made herself present in the kingdom recently. Yesterday in fact." he cleared his throat, wondering if he should say his full opinion.

Iracebeth cursed under her breath. "What can we do? What happened, Tarrant?" she hissed in panic. He patted her shoulder to calm her and unknown to him, it worked effectively. "Calm down. I met her last afternoon. She..ermm has a lot of courage." (He had an urge to name it 'muchness' but denied it.) He continued as if he hadn't had the thought. "She is called Jesse Wayton, I've heard and she has just recently moved. She had inherited a small cottage and she has a field out back. She appears to make it a daily event to..." (again the urge for his words -futterwacken)

"...dance around the place and singing. The whole village of Whitened watched her and she was very good. Think of it, your own entertainer!" he said, encouragingly. Deep down he knew that this 'Jesse' was a good dancer - not just futterwacken, but general dancing and it was very interesting to watch.

"Hmm I will consider it, Tarrant" she said, thinking it through. Why was he so interested in her? Jealously fueled her emotions but she had to keep her head sometimes (which had grown twice as bigger than last time, a thing that was worrying her). She waved her hand in dismissal and Tarrant walked back out of the throne room and towards his own chambers. He bolted the door and shooed the 'furniture' away so he could be in privacy for a while. He paced his room and sighed.

The anger inside him at the mention...of...her made him sick, sick to the very core of his life. She had killed him - in her own little way. That stupid, slurlvish, horrible...

He stopped himself - who was he kidding? He seemed to have made the whole court and kingdom of his un-dying loyalty to Iracebeth but he was scared. Deep down the emotions of his old life fueled within. He wouldn't dare let them loose here. He was controlled by madness of the worse but he had two voices: a demon of his fears and an angel - ironically it was...Alice.

He felt something wet slide down his face and felt it. A tear - he was crying over a woman who'd left him. Why couldn't he move on like everyone else did? His demon fired up:

**_Stupid Hatter - you still love her and you're wasting your time! _**His demon side fired up and snorted with disgust at his lack of self pride.

Then the angel of Alice herself who made him think the way he wanted to think:

_Hatter - I'm sorry. I can't get back. I love you too, please forgive me._

He stopped himself. He was wasting his time. He had to arrange another meeting to introduce himself to this Jesse Wayton.

* * *

Sorry about the long delay - please forgive me! Tried to make chapter longer for you forgive me! I'm an angel don't hate me! Lol!


	4. Getting To Business

**Chapter 4: Getting to Business**

Jesse awoke sleepily (having slept quite badly for some weird reason) in her little cosy home in Whitened on the gloomy Saturday afternoon after her show dancing in the field behind her home. She was glad that she had such a good reputation in the village already as she could see that she was a very clever woman.

Nobody would ever guess she was Alice Kingsley, _for sure_.

But today was the day that she had been called to perform for the Queen. _Great_…

She left the house quickly, only wearing what was quite revealing. She had a first impression to make. Her idea would be to look striking at first (like Hatter had) and then act more and more sophisticated as she played along.

She was wearing a lime green long flowing shirt, with a matching mini waist coat type of top. It had a gap in the middle which showed a little of her cleavage but she covered it up with many handmade necklaces with beads and ect. She made her hair very messy and wild; hard to contain and roughly tied it up with a rubber band.

_That'll hurt later when I pull it out_, she thought as she gathered up her things for the palace. Hopefully if her plan went well she would have a longer visit to the castle of Iracebeth.

* * *

As soon as she got there she was told to wait to be called into the grand throne room, red and checkerboard style with red and black squares. There was the raised platform as ever with Iracebeth's throne. There were several seats next to where she stood before the Red Queen. Jesse guessed they were for some courtiers or people to watch Iracebeth all day – how _depressing_.

"Call forward, Miss Wayton!" came a shout which she could only guess was Tarrant's.

She pushed the guards aside and strode confidently into the hall, ignoring some of the gasps that were emitted by her clothes.

"Good day, Your Majesty" she greeted the Queen sat before her.

The Queen grunted unwelcoming at her; still eyeing her strange clothes._ Looks likes the kind of drag my Tarrant used to wear!_ She thought, disgusted.

"I have come here out of request from you and Mr Hightopp today as...urm an entertainer" Jesse continued, unsure of how Tarrant had described her. The she thought she'd at least try to soften the Queen up.

"Any Questions?" she asked, in a normal voice.

"Just get on with _it Jesse Wayton_!" The Red Queen spat at her.

Tarrant jumped and looked sideways at her. Jesse felt a leap of hope when he turned and smiled causally at her from the corner of her eye. She blinked and turned, but it was gone.

"Get yourself sorted, WOMAN!" Iracebeth roared.

Tarrant sighed and ignored the Queen for a moment. Jesse wondered if she'd try flattery. She tried and failed.

"May I take this honour in thanking you? I remember swearing to thank you happily for you being such a..._interesting _monarch" she said, only just stumbling over her words like a criminal trying to delay time for the jury to make their minds up.

"ENOUGH SPEAKING! DO YOUR DANCING OR I SHALL TAKE YOU HEAD OFF YOUR PRETTY BODY OF YOURS!" Iracebeth yelled, standing up from her throne and pointing at Jesse, who chooses this to look innocent.

Tarrant tried to contain his laughter.

So Jesse decided to dance and amaze the Red Queen...and Tarrant Hightopp (again). She started out slow and then managed to gain the tension in the dance. She danced to 'After School's – AH!' which she found to be quite fitting. **(Link is on my profile to the routine she does as this dancing part of the chapter will have a video for it!)**

The Queen was amazed, astonished, and maybe even stunned. She had never seen anybody in the whole of her kingdom perform like that – ever. Tarrant felt left out. He'd always been one for dancing as he enjoyed it. But here he was to be her second in command. He was like a mini Stayne. He shuddered and looked around hoping nobody had seen. His Hatter-ness had come back to him for a brief second and thankfully the Queen was too speechless to see. But Jesse had and her hope had soared even more.

Jesse finished her routine with a deep and humble bow, kneeling straight to floor and kissing it – so she was like worshipping the Queen.

Iracebeth found this very flattering.

"What would you say if I allowed you to remain in the castle and entertain me every now and again, Jesse? You are very talented, I must say." The Queen had spluttered.

Jesse beamed "Thank you Majesty." She pulled something out of her bag and handed it to the Queen. It was box with a red bow on top. The Queen took it and opened the box. Inside was a deep red jewel, with a clear solid ruby in the middle. It was made into the shape of a heart.

The Queen seemed lost for words. Jesse just shrugged and smiled brightly. Tarrant rolled his eyes, one way to get the Queen on your side is jewels which have red hearts – how did she know?

"I will be honoured to be a worker for you, Majesty." Jesse said smoothly.

"You…I shall…BETHANNA!" bellowed the Red Queen. A courtier in bright red clothing walked in.

She seemed to be a favourite. "Yes, Majesty?"

"Accommodate this lady a room!" Iracebeth ordered. "Jesse Wayton – you are now my new entertainer and friend! Bethanna shall lead you to your room."

"Thank you again, Your Majesty" Jesse curtsied. Iracebeth smiled.

Tarrant stepped forward, he was curious on why this lady had just made him feel like himself. He followed her and Bethanna out of the throne room and towards her new room.

Bethanna carried on down the corridor out of site. He knocked on her doorframe as she walked into the room and put her bag down on the dark red blanket cover.

She turned and beamed at him. "How are you Mr Hightopp?" she asked. The annoyance of her calling him a '_Mr'_ instead a '_Lord'_ wasn't as annoying as before.

"Please call me Tarrant" he excused and she looked puzzled at him. "I hate people apart from prisoners calling me 'Lord'. It gets a bit annoying." He explained.

She nodded, understanding. Then she looked ashamed.

"I apologize for the other day, Tarrant –" Jesse said (but as she said his name he felt that twinge of familiarity again) "- when I had a go at you. I wasn't having a good day, you see."

"That's alright. We all feel a bit mad sometimes, you know!" he chuckled. He saw her face fell but she quickly composed herself. She ran her hand through her tangled mess and walked over to the mirror and in one swift movement pulled the rubber band out. She winched slightly and threw it in the bin.

Tarrant looked at her and felt the emotion of…something he couldn't put his finger on. Why was it so familiar? Why did this woman seem like an old friend to him? What was wrong with him?

_**You're cracking up Tarrant!**_ His demon yelled at him.

_Nah, you're just listening to that stupid voice inside your head._

_**Is that a bad thing though?**_ His demon roared_**. **_

_**Normal people can't hear voices of people who just waltz back out of your life Tarrant. Alice won't come back – she never will!**_

"_TARRANT_!"

He was brought back to reality to see Jesse standing in front of him with a worried look on her face. "You ok?" she asked; her voice full of concern.

He shook his head, ashamed.

"Want to talk about it?" she asked.

"No, thank you – I must get back to my duties." He mumbled and turned.

But he was stopped when Jesse gave him a soft and gentle hug.

"Thank you Tarrant." She whispered before walking into her room.

Tarrant, confused, walked away down the hall, still confused on who this woman was.

* * *

**Please don't complain to me - I've tried a lot of this chapter to get it out. Also no complaints about how long it takes me to update. Seriously, really annoys me. Cheers.**


	5. Six Impossibles

**Chapter 5: Six Impossibles**

Jesse awoke from a peaceful slumber on her first night in Salazen Grum.

She got dressed in her own clothes (avoiding the awful bloody red coloured robes in her wardrobe) which were a pale blue dress which ended halfway down from her knees to her ankles so you could still see them.

A bit of a risky choice but she had to start somewhere.

She decided to have her breakfast in the dining room so without furfur ado she walked out of her room in gold strapped sandals and spoke aloud to herself.

"Hmm, what are my six impossibles before breakfast today?" she whispered to herself. _Well_…

_One, I am now living in Salazen Grum!_

_Two, my plan will start work today and I will attempt to get the BloodyBigHead to like me._

_Three, I will go visit Hatter and see if I can come on a quest with him._

_Four, I am wearing very risky clothes!_

She thought that number five and six could wait until she got there.

She walked inside and at once spotted the queen. Iracebeth's eyes widened when she saw her newest addition to her staff but she waved it off.

Everyone had weird in them.

"Hello Jesse!" she called and motioned her to sit next to her.

Jesse obediently sat down and poured Iracebeth out some tea.

"Would you like some tea, Jesse?" Iracebeth asked. Then she noticed that she was doing her tea.

"Oh…thank you Jesse, but no need. I usually dine in my quarters than in here in the mornings."

"You're welcome, Your Majesty" Jesse replied and handed the queen her tea.

Iracebeth took it and smiled as she drank it, it was _perfect_.

Just then _Lord_ Hightopp came in.

He spotted the queen and smiled but he stopped when he saw Jesse in _his_ seat.

He shrugged it off and went to sit next to her instead.

"Good morning, Iracebeth" he said.

"Good morning, Tarrant" She beamed at him, which made Jesse boil with jealously.

_How dare she even look at him! He was **her** hatter! Not that stupid big head's…_

She controlled herself and handed _Lord_ Hightopp his tea.

He looked amazed at her gift but took it anyway.

He too was surprised that she knew how he had it.

_If only you knew Hatter…_

Jesse then went to get some toast. "Toast, Your Majesty?" she asked.

Iracebeth nodded "Butter and Squimberry _please_."

_Oh my god, did she just say PLEASE? Five, the Red Queen said PLEASE to me!_

Jesse did as she was told and handed the toast over.

She turned to Lord Hightopp, but he'd already grabbed his.

Jesse shrugged and got herself some with some marmalade on.

The smell filled her with hope and she tucked in, savouring the taste. Only she didn't see that Tarrant was looking at her.

_Why was she so familiar?_

Jesse finished her toast and wiped the marmalade and butter off with her napkin.

She stood up and smiled at the two sitting next to her.

"Good day, Your Majesty, _Mr_ Hightopp." Then she walked out of the hall, her high heeled sandals clinking along the marble floor.

Tarrant didn't realise he was staring until Iracebeth patted the chair beside her which Jesse had just got out of.

He felt a sense of…(guilty?) pain and wrong-ness as he sat in his normal chair.

Iracebeth got some toast and fed it to him as if he were her lover – which she thought he was.

He ate the toast she offered and got up too and left the hall in a slight daze.

_Why is that Jesse person so familiar?_

**_I don't know, Tarrant – ask yourself!_**

_I am asking myself! The madness controls me!_

**_Yeah that's called guilt, anger and pity mixed altogether._**

_What was I before this?_

But his thought paten was broken off as he heard a beautiful voice singing a rhyme. He walked along the corridors until he saw Jesse leaning against one of the balconies. He walked quietly behind her, the song she was singing was like in the back of his head but couldn't remember where from…

_"#Twinkle, Twinkle little bat,_

_How I wonder where you're at,_

_Up above the world you fly,_

_Like a tea tray in the sky…#"_

"Where did you learn that song?" he asked her, making her jump and whirl around.

She calmed once she saw it was Tarrant.

"Dear lord, Mr Hightopp, you scared me to death! The song, you used to sing it. At your many tea parties with the march hare and Mally, the dormouse." She said quickly.

Then she faked remembering something important.

"Oh goodness! I really must be going!" she said and rushed past him.

He had frozen. Tea parties? Thackeray? Mally? The song? _Him_?

It had been before his madness swallowed him up, before he came to the red queen, begging for forgiveness as it had told him to do.

Then he'd fallen into the trap. _But why had he gone mad in the first place?_

**_That if for me to hide, and you to get off me_****,** his madness taunted him.

He growled and stormed back along corridors until he got to Jesse's room.

He banged on the door. There was a shuffling inside and Jesse opened the door, her hair ruffled and her room behind her was a mess.

"What is it?" she demanded. Tarrant was surprised; she had been a completely different person before.

"Did you know me before I went mad?" he asked.

Jesse paused; _this was dangerous waters. What would she say?_

"Yes I did" she answered. "Want me to tell you how you were before this…_chaos_ started?"

He nodded and she motioned him to come in.

_Six, Hatter may come to his senses a bit._

_

* * *

_

Sorry it was short but I'm in a hurry.


	6. Remembering

**Chapter Six: Remembering  
**

The former Mad Hatter stepped into Jesse Wayton's bedchamber with slight discomfort. What would his queen, Iracebeth think if she saw him in here?

"Sorry if you don't want to know, but I won't tell you _everything_" Jesse warned, still holding the door open.

"Close the _door_!" Tarrant hissed and then rushed to the door and closing it shut quickly. Only when he turned, he saw Jesse clutching at her wrist.

Guilt _instantly_ flooded him.

"I'm _ok_!" she assured him, wincing slightly before he could apologize. She went over to her suitcase, grabbed some tough cloth and wrapped it quickly round her wrist. She then made sure it was tight enough and wiggled her fingers. It didn't hurt, so she turned back to him and smiled.

"I'm so sorry.." Tarrant started but Jesse walked quickly across the room to put a finger to his cold lips.

"Do not fret, my pet!" she said before chuckling. "I made a _rhyme_!" she squealed and again when to her case and wrote it down on a piece of paper. Tarrant also saw notes of other little rhymes such as _Tea, tea, where shall it be! _and _anyone can go by horse or rail, but the best way to travel is by hat!_

That last note in particular struck a chord of long hidden memory in his brain and he grew even more wary of his surroundings. He felt like, a _lifetime _ago, had…_he _said those lines?

It was so familiar, as was the _mysterious _Jesse Wayton.

"Bee in your bonnet, Tarrant?" Jesse said, making him jump out of his reverie.

Jesse was sitting on the sofa next to him (although giving him a generous amount of personal space) and holding a cup of tea out for him. He took it kindly, smiling a true and old smile at her and drank some.

It cleared his head and suddenly he felt his brain whizz all his memories around his head, not of this phrase of madness, but before the evil blackness covered him.

* * *

_He saw, what looked like a young female on the tea table where he used to have long tea parties just waiting. _

_But for what, he couldn't remember. At this point he wasn't waiting, he was talking to the young and small figure that he realised was 15cm tall!_

_The girl was looking at him curiously and looking from his face, then to his tall elegant top hat on the table, to his face again. _

_Then she spoke. "The hat?" her voice was so familiar and he wanted to scream that it was so annoying that he couldn't put his finger on it!_

"_Of course!" he was speaking, raver nervously yet exicted as he gazed down at her. "Anyone can go by horse or rail, but the best way to travel is by hat! Have I made a rhyme?"_

_The little girl climbed up onto the hat and then as he placed it on his head an d he walked away from the tea party, she swung off his rim of the hat and down onto his shoulder._

_ He remembered (?) being rather twitchy and flustered as she was so close to his face. _

_Still gazing curiously and determined, the young female huffed at him, stating that she didn't "slay"?. _

_He hated the way she had been so disappointing, put her on the floor and nearly made him cry as he walked away from her. _

_He also remembered screaming at himself, __**Don't Leave **__**Alice**__** Behind!**_

_**

* * *

**_

He gasped and he opened his eyes.

He was still in Jesse's chambers but it was sooner after midday than later.

He got up flustered. He must of fallen asleep but couldn't remember how.

Where was Jesse? Was his first question. He was a very curious man (always had been).

He stopped short – where had THAT come from? He started panicking, he was remembering stuff that he didn't think had happened before!

_Tarrant, calm down_ – purest Alice was there again, sitting on his shoulder.

_Why don't you sit down and try to remember some things? Jesse is doing a good thing by this. You can get out of this Tarrant, I believe in you._

He blushed and looked to his shoulder – she _wasn't_ there.

He felt several tears fall down his cheeks as he walked to the window. What made him so upset when he came to Alice? He could barely remember anything about her yet, pain was stabbed into his heart at the mention of her.

_Was she a person to look after him? A carer, a best friend? Mother? Family member? Wife? Lover? Enemy?_ He was rambing (another disturbing thing he remembered.

Looking out, he saw Jesse speaking to some of the guards and smiling at them.

She then handed each of them that looked like, a sandwich or snack.

Tarrant knew that the guards were always underfed, he'd tried convincing Iracebeth that they would work harder if they got the nutrition they needed.

She had threatened to behead him for that so he'd dropped it.

Looking back out the window, he saw Jesse put a finger to her lips, the guards nodded and she walked back inside.

_Should he wait here for her?_ He decided against it. As he pasted the sofa, he spotted a note in her handwriting. It said:

_Tarrant,_

_I believe in you as well._

_Jesse_

Tarrant tucked the note into his pocket and went to his chambers.

_Curses _to his duty to Iracebeth, he _needed _to remember.

He needed to listen to his Alice..._and _Jesse Wayton.

* * *

**Sorry it is short but I'm getting closer!**


	7. Confessions of A Broken Heart

**Alice Undercover**_  
By Rurple101_

* * *

**Chapter 7: Confessions of A Broken Heart  
**

* * *

Jesse smiled a weak smile as she saw Tarrant pass out into his memories in front of her. She felt guilty for slipping a remembering concoction into his tea, but that would only speed up his senses. He must be very confused with himself.

She gazed at his unconscious face, which now resembled the weak and vulnerable hatter.

Unable to resist as she might never get the chance, she leaned down and kissed him on the cheek, she got back up and there were tears in her eyes.

_This is my entire fault, _she spat at herself. _This is my fault it all fell into dis-repair, poor Hatter._

She quickly grabbed her travelling cloak and set off out of the castle. She had to be at Marmoreal before lunchtime came and be back here sooner than the late afternoon.

* * *

She arrived in Marmoreal ahead of her schedule but that still didn't mean that Iracebeth wouldn't come searching for her at any moment.

She dismounted her horse, thanked it and walked causally up to the gates.

"Halt! Who comes here?" called a guard.

She softly but quickly read out "I am Champion, champion for the White Queen who once slain the Jabberwocky."

The guard gasped and quickly opened the gates for her. Jesse nodded her head in thanks and continued up the main pathway to the palace.

Mirana had _somehow_ been able to send a message to her whilst in Upperland via Absolem, the wisest caterpillar (who was now a fully grown butterfly), which led to her arranging to meet with the Queen. The entire support she was getting from people inside Marmoreal was for total secrecy, because if anyone found out Jesse Wayton's true identity, then she might find her head floating around in the moat of Salazar Grum.

Mirana met her in the entrance hall and hugged her so tightly that Jesse could hardly breathe.

"Oh _Alice_! It's so good to see you again!" cried Mirana.

"Mirana, cannot…breathe!" gasped the Champion.

The White Queen released the Champion, still beaming at her.

"Cup of tea?" she asked.

Jesse got a vision of Tarrant asleep on her sofa and nodded sadly.

* * *

"Iracebeth has no idea that it's me!" Alice said."But Hatter-" she sighed and put her face in her hands." -_poor_ Hatter."

Mirana sighed as well. "I know he went insane when you left. I'm not trying to blame you Alice dear, but that was the only thing he _wanted_ for months on end afterwards. _You_."

"How did he go mad?" Alice asked warily.

"He just stood there, staring at the air where you'd vanished and remained there for days, only muttering your name and then afterwards, he started yelling; screaming, pulling his hair…we had to restrain him as he once threatened to take his own life" Mirana said bluntly, not realising the full effects this held on Alice.

The champion closed her eyes, putting her tea down and wiled herself not to cry. "I'm sorry" she croaked.

"Alice dear, it's nothing now. Tarrant might feel in his own head that you betrayed him. But remember how Tarrant overreacts sometimes, we have to admit it. He snuck out of the palace and practically crawled back to Iracebeth and begged her to kill him. She, instead, offered a chance of a new life, so if you ever came along, you would be destroyed…by him." Mirana said, trying to comfort and understand the situation.

"Tarrant would never kill me" Alice said in a forced voice, trying to make herself believe the words.

"What makes you so certain, dear?" Mirana asked, putting aside her tea and leaning towards the champion.

"Because when I get the chance near the end, or if it all fails and I'm caught out, then I will confess everything to him and because that will spur him to reconsider and maybe even regret his past actions."

"What would you confess to him?" Mirana asked in a confused voice.

The champion looked disbelieving at the Queen. "Why else do you think I agreed to come back here and save Underland again? Why else do you think I would immediately return because Hatter was in trouble, or being brainwashed?"

She didn't realise that she'd now risen to her feet and was pacing back and forth as she questioned Mirana.

Mirana raised a hand to her mouth, her eyes watering with the emotion. "You're _in love_ with Tarrant."

The tears that Alice had been holding back for over a week raced down her cheeks. All the loss and hurt that she hadn't had time to waste but things in her old world had gone so slowly. The constant nightmares of waking up, hoping to find herself in Wonderland...and woke up in a sweat when she wasn't. The loss of realising that she'd left behind _the only man_ she'd ever had strong romantic feelings for…

"He hinted before he I left that he had deeper feelings for me, that's probably why he reacted so badly." Alice sobbed, collapsing on her knees as Mirana knelt down next to her and hugged her.

"It'll be ok Alice" Mirana soothed the champion.

Alice shook her head "He's being brainwashed and Iracebeth used him for two reasons. The first being that he is the strongest and fiercest solider when in battle and secondly because she knew me and Hatter were close. Now I see him every day and _not to_ see his eyes light green with happiness breaks my heart all over again!" She wiped her tears away angrily.

Mirana sighed again as the Champion got up quickly and checked her watch. "I gave him the remembering concoction before I left. How long will be under?"

"Well until lunchtime probably. It's only half past ten now." Mirana said, going back and pouring herself another cup of tea.

"Can I ask you something Mirana?" Alice asked hesitantly.

"What is it Alice?"

Alice fidgeted. "Can I see Hatter's room?"

* * *

Alice opened the door warily and gazed inside, feeling the memories of Tarrant's hat-making room in Salaza Grum. She walked in and closed the door gently behind her.

The smell of freshly made hats was drowned out by the mess that littered the room's contents. Tables were over-turned; a copper coloured liquid was creating a strong and unmovable stain on the carpet and several hats were fallen from their high shelves. Alice walked over to one hat in particular and smiled at the familiarity.

His hat, the top hat she had been thrown across a lake with, when he'd sacrificed himself to save her, was sat atop a manikin. She approached it slowly, inhaling the smell of a long deserted workroom and imagined him in the situation, smiling and spinning her around from a break to see she'd returned.

_Will anything be the same again?_ Alice thought, even if it did and he didn't _want_ her…she'd leave quietly, and forever lock her warm glowing heart away.

She picked the hat up gently and carefully skimmed her soft fingers over the rim and the long salmon pink sash. She closed her eyes again and breathed in the scent that lingered off the hat. There was a very slight wisp of the scent that Alice had remembered when she'd shared hugs with the Hatter. She allowed a few tears to release from her eyelids and she leaned forward to kiss the front centre side of the brim of the hat.

_"I will rescue you Tarrant"_ she whispered intently to the stillness of the room the only thing in the room which might be listening. _"I will save you, I hope you will love me back, my darling."_

She debated on taking the hat with her, back to the castle but then decided against it. He'd only destroy it before she'd be able to explain.

With a final loving glance towards the beloved hat of her love, she turned and crept out the door, closing it slowly behind her.

* * *

**I apologise for the long delay guys, a new chapter may be out soon :) Thanks for reading and reviewing xx**


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